Tag Archives: Jewish wedding

Happy anniversary, Will and Kate. To celebrate, I’m reposting Backyard Huppah’s kosher-fied version of the canapè reception Queen Elizabeth hosted for the royal couple following their wedding — and I’ve included recipes.

You can use this menu for your own hors d’oeuvre reception or cocktail hour. We’ve pared the number of canapes down from 23 to nine, creating a nice selection of savory and sweet, meat and parve, non-dairy and vegan. Most of the recipes have friendly make-ahead options for a self-catered affair for forty people, though you will need kitchen and serving help on the day.

The canape reception that The Queen threw for Will and Kate included an hors d’oeuvre called Pressed Duck Terrine with Fruit Chutney. A traditional duck terrine falls firmly in the unkosher category. Duck itself is kosher, though, and one of those extravagances that can elevate a special occasion menu. So I developed this hors d’oeuvre of roast duck and spiced fruit chutney on a slice of rich fruit nut bread. Its a hearty, fillling, and tasty addition to a cocktail or hors d’oeuvre reception.

The instructions for cooking the duck come from The Complete American Jewish Cookbook by Anne London and Bertha Kahn Bishov. It’s a wonderful, 1 ½-inch thick cookbook that includes instructions for cooking pretty much anything kosher you can put your hands on. My copy came as a gift many years ago. It’s out of print now and a cookbook that I’m grateful to have on the shelf. Thank you, Anne, Bertha, and Mrs. Goldrich.

Assembling the Canape

Cut the fruit bread into slices about 3/8″ thick and cut each slice in half. Spread fruit chutney on a piece of bread, and top it off with a piece of duck. Try to keep the whole canape small enough to eat with one or two bites.